Refrigerator drain



Dec. 13, 1938.

l c. F. BELsHAw REFRIGERATOR DRAIN .Filed Jan. 24,' 195e Qharle Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator drains and more particularly to that funnel shaped device .and the conduit leading therefrom through the iioor beneath an ice refrigerator and into which the water from the melting ice in the refrigerator drips and is carried away and the general object of the invention is to prevent moisture due to condensation on the outside of the funnel owing downwardly onto the floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for entrapping sediment from the ice water to prevent it flowing into the drain pipe and also to provide means for chemically treating the drain water to destroy the algae or fungi therein, these tending to clog the drain pipe.

Of course, in using ice refrigerators, it is necessary to dispose of the water from the ice melted in the refrigerator which water conventionally is deposited through a drip pipe at the bottom of the refrigerator and it has become customary A)to extend a drain pipe from the refrigeration loca.- tion to a place of disposal of said water and to provide the drain pipe with a funnel shaped element into which the water from the refrigerator drip pipe is received.

The drain pipe customarily extends through the floor beneath the refrigerator and the water dripping from the refrigerator is Very cold, being only slightly above freezing temperature, which water cools the funnel and drain pipe, thus causing condensation from the surrounding air to accumulate on the exterior of the funnel and drain pipe above the floor and to run downward and be deposited upon the floor which has been a very objectionable condition.

The drain pipe, used to carry away the Water from the melted ice, frequently clogs by collection of foreign substances therein. Such foreign substances may be solid matter of different kinds frozen in the ice or algae or fungi, a vegetable organism which finds its way into the drain water from one source or another and is deposited in the drain pipe where it grows to sufficient proportions to clog the pipe. This invention provides means for preventing clogging of drain pipes by an -especially devised trap to catch the heavy.

foreign substances to prevent their passing into the drain pipe and also means for chemically treating the drain water to destroy the vegetable fungi before it passes into the drain pipe.

An object of this invention is to eliminate the deposit and collection of this water of condensation upon the floor beneath the refrigerator which is accomplished partly by insulating a portion of the drain structure so that it will not be cooled on its exterior surface to cause condensation to occur and partly by providing means for carrying such condensation as does occur into the conduit v which passes through the oor so that it will not be deposited 'upon the upper surface of the oor.

The invention provides various novel features of construction and arrangement as hereafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a floor structure and the lower part of a refrig- Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional elevation of a second form of structure embodying the invention.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional plan on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of a third form of structure embodying the invention, and

Figs. 10, and l1, are respectively enlarged sectional plans on the lines Ill-I and II-II of Fig. 9.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all the iigures of the drawing.

The refrigerator I stands on the floor 2 and is provided with the conventional drip pipe 3 through which water from the melted ice in the interior of the refrigerator passes. A drain pipe 4 extends from below the refrigerator through the floor 2 and thence to a place of disposal of the water which may be near by or at a considerable distance the length of said drain pipe having no material bearing upon the present invention.

The form of structure shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 embodying this invention comprises a funnel 5 supported upon and communicating with a neck 6 which extends upwardly from a member I which forms a part of the water conduit. An annular trough 8 surrounds the base of the neck 6 and constitutes a part of the member 'I and the trough 8 has openings 9 through it communicating with the interior of the member 'I whereby water collecting in the trough will drain into the interior of the member I.

Below the member 'I is a tubular connector IIJ having its upper en-d outwardly flanged and communicating with an opening in the bottom of the member l. A cup shaped coupling member I2 having an opening in its bottom surrounds the member 'I and the connector I0 projects through the opening, the exterior of the member l and the interior of the coupling I2 being correspo-ndingly threaded and screwed together to form a,

connection between the members I .and IU. The threads of the coupling I2 are the same as those of a standard garden hose coupling so that the members 'I with the funnel 5 attached may be unscrewed from the coupling I2 and a hose attached in their place for the purpose hereafter described.

Rubber insulating sleeves I3 and I4 surround the coupling l2 and the connector I0 and extend below it to also surround the upper end of the drain pipe 4 projecting above the floor.. The inner rubber sleeve i 3 in the nature of a substantially straight rubber hose which preferably has longitudinal corrugations on its outer surface and the connector Ill is thrust into the upper end of the inner sleeve I3 preferably being provided with annular beads Ia to frictionally retain it in place in the tube. It is to be noted that insulating material other than rubber can be used for the tube I3.

The outer tube I4 surrounds the tube vI3 and extends upwardly and is expanded to also surround the coupling lI 2 .and its upper end is 'folded backwardly and extends downwardly over the cuter sleeve to provide a reinforcement of the upper end of the structure and also -to increase its tension and frictional grip 4upon the inner parts. A clamp I5 preferably surrounds Ithe outer sleeve near its lower -end and is. used to clamp the sleeve structure upon the drain vpipe 4.

The corrugations in the outer surface 1of vthe inner sleeve I3 provide a plurality of lair Yspaces which increase the heat insulating -eiect of the structure, these spaces being closed by compression of the rubber both near the upper :end of the sleeve where it is surrounded by the double tension caused by the doubling of the sleeve, and also at the point where the clamp I51is applied, thus-confining the air in the spaces between the corrugations.

A combined sediment vtrap and chemical holder Amay be utilized in this device consisting of a funnel shaped member I6 removably supported within the funnel 5 vand having an upwardly extending tube I'I communicating with its opening and also` with Vthe neck -6 of the funnel Y'-5. The funnel I6 of this trap ts suiiiciently closely into the funnel 5 to cause water traveling ldown .the funnel wall to flow linto `the trap anda-lso any sediment carried by the water will 4move into the trap -and be deposited therein, the water rising in the trap until it ows over the `top ofthe tube II. This trap may also vbe used to -contain a solid chemical for the purpose hereafter described.

The form of structure shown in Figs. .'1 `and 8 comprises the tube 29 which vextends through j.the floor and has its lower end joined in a suitable manner with the drain pipe 4. The upper end of the tube 20 is enlarged -in .diameter at k2.I and a funnel 22 has a vertically Viiuted o-r corrugated neck 23 which extends through the enlarged upper portion 2 I of the tube 2U' and fits :into .the lower portion of the tube which structure provides an annular trough 24 surrounding rthe neck 23 of the funnel at the upper end of the tube .20 and the flutes or corrugations inthe neck provide passages through which water collecting in the trough may drain into the interior of the tube. If desired the tube 20 may have a double enlargement at its upper end, the first enlargement being Ythe same diameter as the .exterior diameter of the neck 23, the tube diameter itself being smaller than the neck, which .forms a suitable rigid support for the neck. The neck -23 of Y because of surface attraction.

the funnel extends upwardly within the funnel at 23a providing a trap and chemical holder for the purposes hereafter described.

That portion of the tube 20 extending above the floor is surrounded by heat insulating sleeve 25, preferably of rubber, which sleeve may be formed of a piece of tubing of uniform diameter which, when thrust over the tube will stretch to accommodate itself to the enlarged diameter of the upper end of the tube. If desired other insulation material may be applied in suitable manner as by moulding.

The form Aof ystructure shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 has a funnel 35 with a long neck 3| provided at its lower end with a conventional pipe lconnection .32 by means` of which it is connected to the drain pipe A4. `funnel is surrounded vby a metal tubular sleeve 33, larger in diameter than the neck 3|, both zthe .sleeve `33 and .the `neck 3l extending through` the floor and 4the sleeve 33 isv provided with a flange 34 which rests upon the iioor.

The upper end of the sleeve 33 is flared outwardly :at .35 and an insulating spacer 36 surrounds the funnel neck 3i and is located in .and Vengages lthe flared portion 35 of the sleeve 33 which centers the upper end of the neck in the sleeve maintaining a space between the neck and the sleeve. The-.spacer 36 has notches 31 which permit condensation flowing down the vouter sur-` face of the funnel and the neck to .pass through the 4spacer 3B and continue downwardly inside of the sleeve, this water .tending to `adhere to the outer surface of the neck in its downward ow Operation The form of device of Fig. 2 is most desirably used in cases where the drain pipe 4 'is inaccessible vbelow the iioor. By modern methods of pip The neck 3l of .theA

ing houses the drain pipe 4 may be of exible sediment ytrap the .cold water .from .the refrigera- :tor will drip into the funnel. 5 and considerably coolit and moisture will .collect on its .outer surface yfrom =the surrounding .atmosphere which vmoisture will flow downwardly by gravity and find lits way into the vannular trough 8 from where it will `pass vthrough the openings 9 into the interior of the member .'I and eventually flow through the .drain .pipe 4 together with the water from the melted ice. The insulation consisting of the lsleeves I3 and I4 surrounding the lower part of ,the structure above the floor will prevent the .outer surface exposed to the air becoming cold and .therefore condensation will not occur. By this means condensation occurring on'the funnel will drain into the drain pipe 4 and be carried away while no condensation can occur on the lower part vof the structure and therefore -no iwater of condensation will nd its way to the oor.

When the sediment trap is used in this typeof :structure the water dripping from zthe pipe 3 may either fall onto the surface of the funnel 5 or into the funnel I6 but in either case the water with any foreign matter it contains will find its way into the funnel i@ which will ll up to the level of the top of the tube ii' where it will drain from the tube and be deposited in the predescribed passages. Any sediment heavier than water will collect at the base of vthe funnel i6 and will be prevented from flowing through the drain pipe and this sediment trap comprising the funnel i and the tube H may be easily bodily lifted from the funnel to clean the sediment from it.

This device may also be conveniently used as a means for chemically treating the drain water to destroy the fungi in it. A suitable chemical in solid form may be placed the base of the funnel iii where it will be slowly dissolved into the drain water, this chemical being of a nature to destroy the vegetable organisms in the water which would tend to deposit and grow in the drain pipe to clog it.

ln spite of the precaution of trapping the sediment and destroying the fungi in the water it is likely that the drain pipe may become clogged and in this structure the member 'i including the members above supported by it may be unscrewed from the coupling member l2 and a'hose connected to the coupling member and communicated with a source of water under pressure which can be led into the drain pipe with suicient force to dislodge and wash out whatever sediment may have collected therein.

The structure of Fig. 7 is similar in general operation to that in Fig. 2, the water being deposited in the funnel 22 will collect at the base the funnel and rise to the level of the top of the upward projection 23a of the neck where it will flow downward through the neck and the heavy sediment will precipitate and remain in the bottom of the funnel. A solid chemical may be used in the funnel to treat the water to destroy the vegetable fungi.

lIhe condensation occurring on the outside of the funnel 22 flows downward following the neck 23 into the trough 2d and thence through the corrugations into the interior of the tube 2i] and the insulating sleeve '25 surrounding the tube 2li prevents condensation on its outer surface. In this structure the funnel 22 and its neck 23 may be readily removed from the tube 26 to clean the sediment from it.

In the structure of 1Eig. 9 condensation on the outside of funnel 3@ will flow downwardly through the notches Si in the spacer 555 and through the space within the sleeve 33 surrounding the exterior of the neck 3l and will be carried below the floor where it will either be carried away by owing along the exterior of the drain pipe 4 or will evaporate. Although the condensation occurring on the exterior of the funnel in this Structure is not carried into the interior of the drain pipe it is carried positively through the floor within the sleeve 33 and is prevented thereby from depositing upon the floor.

The sleeve 33 surrounding the neck 3l with an air space between them serves as an insulator to prevent transfer of heat between the sleeve and the neck 3l thus preventing the sleeve from becoming cold enough to cause condensation to occur on its exterior exposed surface and the spacer 35 is of heat insulating material such as rubber which prevents conductivity through it l between the sleeve and the neck.

The invention is defined in the appended claims y and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

l. A drain construction adapted to be associated with a refrigerator having an outlet leading therefrom, the combination of a hollow member oi relatively large cross section at its top portion and re atively small cross section at its iower pcri'on, said member being open at both of its ends, said upper open end adapted to receive water and sediment from a refrigerator, a tubuar member tightly joined at its exterior surface to the periphery of the lower opening, said tubular member extending upwardly into the first mentioned member to a medial point thereof and aise extending downwardly therefrom, encircling means located about the said downwardly eX- tending portion, a part of said encircling means being spaced from the tubular member whereby a trough is formed around the said tubular member, said aforesaid structure having one or more openings leading from the bottom of the trough into the interior of the said tubular member for the purpose described.

2. A device of the class. described comprising a drain pipe, a connector communicating with said drain pipe, an insulating sleeve surrounding a part of said connector and a part of said drain pipe and connecting them together, a funnel above and communicating with the upper end of said connector and means for conducting water condensing on the exterior of said funnel into the interior of said connector.

3. A device of the class described comprising the elements dened in claim 2, said means including an annular trough near the upper end of' said connector, said trough having openings communicating with the interior of said connector.

e. in a drain construction adapted to be associated with a refrigerator having an outlet leading therefrom, the combination of a funnel located below the outlet and having its exterior surface exposed to the surrounding atmosphere, a connector extending downwardly from said iunnel, an insulating member surrounding said conector, and means for conducting water condensing on the exterior of said funnel into said connector.

5. In a drain construction adapted to be associated with arefrigerator having an outlet leading therefrom, the combination of a funnelshaped member having its larger end uppermost to receive water and sedimentfrom a refrigerator, a member of' substantially tubular shape connected to the smaller end of said funnel-shaped member by a water tight joint and extending upwardly within the same but terminating below the top edge thereof for the purpose described, a second member of tubular shape and of a diameter greater than that of said first tubular-shaped member connected to the lower end of said rst tubular-shaped member and having an outwardly projecting annular trough portion, said trough portion hav-lng an opening leading downwardly into the interior of said second tubular-shaped member to conduct condensate formed on the exterior of the funnel-shaped member into said second tubular-shaped member.

CHARLES F. BELSI-IAW. 

